An informal meeting between local authorities launches a dialogue on smart cities, digital infrastructure and startups, connecting Sardinia and Dalmatia.

A dialogue is taking shape between the shores of the Mediterranean that looks beyond formal diplomacy and focuses on urban innovation processes. Split, the main centre of Dalmatia, a non-protocol meeting started an operational dialogue between the Croatian city and Cagliari, represented by the deputy mayor and councilor for innovation and digital accessibility Maria Cristina ManciniThe interview with the mayor Ivica Puljak has laid the foundations for possible future collaborations on smart cities, digital infrastructures and policies to support technological startups, starting from the experience gained by the Sardinian city with the House of Emerging Technologies.

The meeting takes place within a European context where medium-sized cities are seeking flexible alliances to share solutions for mobility, sustainability, and digital services. This was not an institutional visit in the strict sense, but rather a meeting that allowed for the exploration of concrete convergences between two coastal urban areas, united by a transforming economy and the growing role of universities and research centers in their respective local ecosystems.

The House of Emerging Technologies in Italy

The starting point of the dialogue was the work developed in Cagliari as House of Emerging Technologies, a tool promoted in recent years in several Italian cities to accelerate the adoption of advanced digital technologies in urban contexts. In the Sardinian capital, the CTE operates as a testing hub for areas ranging from the Internet of Things to artificial intelligence applied to public services, cybersecurity, augmented reality, and data platforms.

Over the past two years, the CTE model has seen significant growth in terms of pilot projects and business involvement. In Cagliari, according to municipal data updated to 2024, over 40 experimental projects, with the participation of startups, innovative SMEs and university research groups.

A significant portion of these initiatives focused on the digitalization of urban services, with implications for accessibility, flow management, and environmental sustainability. Split's interest stems precisely from this integrated approach, which combines public policy, research, and entrepreneurship.

“Today's cities are open-air laboratories,”

he observed Ivica Puljak, Mayor of Split and physicist by training.

"The value lies not only in the technology, but in the ability to put it at the service of citizens and create collaborative networks between governments, universities, and businesses."

It is a vision that reflects the path taken by the Croatian city in recent years.

Croatia: Sustainability, Data, and Digital Services

Split has long been investing in projects related to urban sustainability and technological innovation. Over the past 24 months, the city administration has focused resources on environmental monitoring systems, smart management of public lighting, and digital platforms for citizen services. According to estimates released at the municipal level in 2024, the introduction of smart lighting solutions has resulted in a reduction in energy consumption exceeding 25 percent in some urban areas.

Another area of ​​work involves using urban data to improve the planning and management of tourist flows, a crucial issue for a city that receives millions of visitors each year. In this context, the involvement of local universities and international partners has become structural, replicating dynamics similar to those observed in the Italian CTE.

The discussion with Cagliari highlighted how both cities are striving to move beyond isolated projects, focusing on innovation ecosystems capable of attracting expertise and capital. The possibility of exchanging best practices and joint initiatives, including at the European level, was highlighted as one of the most concrete outcomes of the meeting.

Universities and startups as a driving force for collaboration

A central element of the dialogue was the role of universities and innovative startups. In Cagliari, collaboration with the university and national research centers has enabled the CTE to become a point of contact between applied research and the market. Over the past three years, startups involved in programs related to the House of Emerging Technologies have raised a total of over $1,000 in funding. 15 million euro, according to data updated to 2025, with a direct impact on skilled employment.

In Split, too, the startup ecosystem is growing, albeit at a smaller scale. The Croatian government is interested in public acceleration models that allow innovative solutions to be tested directly in urban settings. In this sense, Cagliari's experience is considered replicable, adapting it to local specifics.

“International collaborations between cities must not be symbolic,”

stressed Maria Cristina Mancini during the meeting.

“They must produce concrete projects, exchanges of skills, and real opportunities for innovative businesses.”

This approach is reflected in recent European policies, which aim to support transnational networks between cities on issues such as digital transformation and the green transition.

A Mediterranean as a laboratory for smart cities

The dialogue between Cagliari and Split is part of a broader reflection on the role of the Mediterranean as a testing ground for smart cities. The coastal cities of Italy and Croatia share common challenges: managing tourist flows, climate adaptation, resilient energy infrastructure, and digital inclusion. In this context, cooperation between administrations can accelerate the adoption of solutions already tested elsewhere, reducing implementation times and costs.

Over the past 36 months, several European programs have encouraged cross-border urban partnerships, with funding for pilot projects on sustainable mobility and digital services. The discussions initiated in Dalmatia could lead, in the medium term, to joint applications for European calls for proposals or structured exchanges of technical staff and researchers.

Open prospects beyond the informal meeting

Although informal, the meeting between Cagliari and Split demonstrated how urban diplomacy can become an effective tool for promoting innovation. The convergence on topics such as digital infrastructure, sustainability, and startup support suggests common ground for building lasting collaborations.

In the short term, the two cities are evaluating the possibility of organizing technical discussions between their respective innovation offices and local ecosystem stakeholders. In the medium term, the stated goal is to transform the dialogue into shared projects capable of strengthening urban competitiveness and positioning Cagliari and Split as active nodes of a Mediterranean innovation network. In a Europe that increasingly views cities as drivers of change, even an informal meeting can become the beginning of a structured process.

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